Grape lug

Abstract

A stackable and nestable container is provided which comprises a bottom surface and two pairs of opposed side walls integrally joined with the bottom surface and each other to form a substantially rectangular open-top container. The uppermost surfaces of the side walls collectively form an upper container rim. A container lid is adapted to be received along the upper container rim. Ventilation apertures are formed in each of the side walls. Also, each side wall includes a pair of column sections. Each column section includes a recessed portion, an inner shelf, and a lower column support. The column sections form outer surfaces which project outwardly away from the side walls. By using the column section design, all the support geometry for the container is located in the corners of the container. The upper container rim comprises a double thickness of material around substantially its entire periphery. The upper container rim comprises a single thickness of material only along those surfaces located adjacent to the recessed portions of the column sections. With this design, the double thickness construction of substantially the entire upper container rim provides the container with sufficient high strength for stacking. Further, the single thickness recessed portions of the column sections provide suitable surfaces for a nesting configuration. However, the high strength of the container is maintained in potentially weak single thickness areas by the double thickness construction of the lower column supports. Also, with the double to single thickness design, the outer surfaces of the column sections are configured so as to closely abut the column sections of a similarly shaped container when the containers are juxtaposed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A stackable and nestable container comprising a bottom surface, a first pair of opposed side walls integrally joined with said bottom surface and extending upwardly away therefrom, a second pair of opposed side walls integrally joined with said bottom surface and extending upwardly away therefrom, said first and second pairs of opposed side walls being integrally joined with each other along common end surfaces thereof to form with said bottom surface a substantially rectangular open-top container, the uppermost surfaces of said first and second pairs of opposed side walls collectively forming an upper container rim having a periphery, said upper container rim adapted to receive a container lid, each wall of said first and second pairs of opposed side walls including a pair of column sections, each said column section including a recessed portion, an inner shelf and a lower column support said recessed portions extending downwardly away from said container rim and terminating in said inner shelf, said inner shelf being disposed a predetermined distance above said bottom surface of said container,   said lower column support comprised of a double thickness of material and disposed below said recessed portion and adjacent said bottom surface, said inner shelf forming the uppermost surface of each said lower column support,   said periphery of said upper container rim comprised of a plurality of surfaces, said periphery of said upper container rim comprising a single thickness of material along those surfaces located adjacent to said recessed portions of said column sections, the remaining surfaces of said periphery of said upper container rim comprising a double thickness of material,   wherein said stackable and nestable container is adapted to be nestable with a similarly shaped container when said containers are disposed in a nested configuration, said stackable and nestable container adapted to receive said similarly shaped container within the corresponding recessed portions of said column sections of said stackable and nestable container such that said similarly shaped container rests upon the corresponding inner shelves of said stackable and nestable container when said containers are disposed in a nested configuration,   wherein the double thickness construction of the remaining surfaces of the periphery of the upper container rim provides the container with sufficient high strength for stacking,   wherein the recessed portions of the column sections where said upper container rim comprises only a single thickness of material provide suitable surfaces for a nesting configuration, and   further wherein said high strength of said container is maintained in potentially weak areas by the double thickness construction of the lower column supports of the column sections where said upper container rim comprises only a single thickness of material.   
     
     
       2. The stackable and nestable container of claim 1 wherein each wall of said first and second pairs of opposed side walls further includes projections which extend upwardly away from said upper container rim, said side wall projections adapted to be received within recessed apertures formed in a container lid when said container lid is received along said upper container rim. 
     
     
       3. The stackable and nestable container of claim 1 wherein the lowermost surface of each said lower column support comprises an aperture, and wherein said lower column support apertures are adapted to receive projections formed in the container lid of a similarly shaped container when said similarly shaped container and said stackable and nestable container are disposed in a stacked configuration. 
     
     
       4. A stackable and nestable container for perishable food items requiring the circulation of a cooled air flow comprising a bottom surface, a first pair of opposed side wails integrally joined with said bottom surface and extending upwardly away therefrom, a second pair of opposed side wails integrally joined with said bottom surface and extending upwardly away therefrom, said first and second pairs of opposed side walls being integrally joined with each other along common end surfaces thereof to form with said bottom surface a substantially rectangular open-top container, the uppermost surfaces of said first and second pairs of opposed side wails collectively forming an upper container rim having a periphery, said upper container rim adapted to receive a container lid, each wall of said first and second pairs of opposed side walls including apertures formed therein, each wall of said first and second pairs of opposed side walls further including a pair of column sections, each said column section including a recessed portion, an inner shelf and a lower column support, said recessed portions extending downwardly away from said container rim and terminating in said inner shelf, said inner shelf being disposed a predetermined distance above said bottom surface of said container,   said lower column support comprised of a double thickness of material and disposed below said recessed portion and adjacent said bottom surface, said inner shelf forming the uppermost surface of each said lower column support,   said periphery of said upper container rim comprised of a plurality of surfaces, said periphery of said upper container rim comprising a single thickness of material along those surfaces located adjacent to said recessed portions of said column sections, the remaining surfaces of said periphery of said upper container rim comprising a double thickness of material,   wherein said stackable and nestable container is adapted to be nestable with a similarly shaped container when said containers are disposed in a nested configuration, said stackable and nestable container adapted to receive said similarly shaped container within the corresponding recessed portions of said column sections of said stackable and nestable container such that said similarly shaped container rests upon the corresponding inner shelves of said stackable and nestable container when said containers are disposed in a nested configuration,   wherein said column sections form outer surfaces which project outwardly away from said side walls, and wherein said outer surfaces of said column sections are configured to closely abut the column sections of a similarly shaped container when said containers are juxtaposed, such that when a cooled air flow is directed towards said juxtaposed containers the majority of the cooled air flow is directed through said side wall apertures and over said perishable food items, and such that the cooled air flow lost between the juxtaposed containers is minimized.   
     
     
       5. The stackable and nestable container of claim 4 wherein said lower column support forms a smooth internal surface for said container such that perishable food items placed within said container are not damaged when forced into contact with said lower column support. 
     
     
       6. A stackable and nestable container for perishable food items requiring the circulation of a cooled air flow comprising a bottom surface, a first pair of opposed side walls integrally joined with said bottom surface and extending upwardly away therefrom, a second pair of opposed side walls integrally joined with said bottom surface and extending upwardly away therefrom, said first and second pairs of opposed side walls being integrally joined with each other along common end surfaces thereof to form with said bottom surface a substantially rectangular open-top container, the uppermost surfaces of said first and second pairs of opposed side walls collectively forming an upper container rim having a periphery, said upper container rim adapted to receive a container lid, each wall of said first and second pairs of opposed side walls including apertures formed therein, each wall of said first and second pairs of opposed side walls further including a pair of column sections, each said column section including a recessed portion, an inner shelf and a lower column support, said recessed portions extending downwardly away from said container rim and terminating in said inner shelf, said inner shelf being disposed a predetermined distance above said bottom surface of said container,   said lower column support comprised of a double thickness of material and disposed below said recessed portion and adjacent said bottom surface, said inner shelf forming the uppermost surface of each said lower column support,   said periphery of said upper container rim comprised of a plurality of surfaces, said periphery of said upper container rim comprising a single thickness of material along those surfaces located adjacent to said recessed portions of said column sections, the remaining surfaces of said periphery of said upper container rim comprising a double thickness of material,   wherein said stackable and nestable container is adapted to be nestable with a similarly shaped container when said containers are disposed in a nested configuration, said stackable and nestable container adapted to receive said similarly shaped container within the corresponding recessed portions of said column sections of said stackable and nestable container such that said similarly shaped container rests upon the corresponding inner shelves of said stackable and nestable container when said containers are disposed in a nested configuration,   wherein the double thickness construction of the remaining surfaces of the periphery of the upper container rim provides the container with sufficient high strength for stacking,   wherein the recessed portions of the column sections where said upper container rim comprises only a single thickness of material provide suitable surfaces for a nesting configuration,   wherein said high strength of said container is maintained in potentially weak areas by the double thickness construction of the lower column supports of the column sections where said upper container rim comprises only a single thickness of material,   wherein said column sections form outer surfaces which project outwardly away from said side walls, and further wherein said outer surfaces of said column sections are configured to closely abut the column sections of a similarly shaped container when said containers are juxtaposed, such that when a cooled air flow is directed towards said juxtaposed containers the majority of the cooled air flow is directed through said side wall apertures and over said perishable food items, and such that the cooled air flow lost between the juxtaposed containers is minimized.   
     
     
       7. The stackable and nestable container of claim 1 wherein each wall of said first and second pairs of opposed side walls includes apertures formed therein. 
     
     
       8. The stackable and nestable container of claim 1 wherein said bottom surface includes apertures formed therein. 
     
     
       9. The stackable and nestable container of claim 2 wherein ventilation apertures are formed in the container lid received along said upper container rim. 
     
     
       10. The stackable and nestable container of claim 3 wherein ventilation apertures are formed in the container lid of the similarly shaped container. 
     
     
       11. The stackable and nestable container of claim 4 wherein each wall of said first and second pairs of opposed side walls further includes projections which extend upwardly away from said upper container rim, said side wall projections adapted to be received within recessed apertures formed in a container lid when said container lid is received along said upper container rim. 
     
     
       12. The stackable and nestable container of claim 11 wherein ventilation apertures are formed in the container lid received along said upper container rim. 
     
     
       13. The stackable and nestable container of claim 4 wherein the lowermost surface of each said lower column support comprises an aperture, and wherein said lower column support apertures are adapted to receive projections formed in the container lid of a similarly shaped container when said similarly shaped container and said stackable and nestable container are disposed in a stacked configuration. 
     
     
       14. The stackable and nestable container of claim 13 wherein ventilation apertures are formed in the container lid of the similarly shaped container. 
     
     
       15. The stackable and nestable container of claim 4 wherein said bottom surface includes apertures formed therein. 
     
     
       16. The stackable and nestable container of claim 6 wherein each wail of said first and second pairs of opposed side walls further includes projections which extend upwardly away from said upper container rim, said side wall projections adapted to be received within recessed apertures formed in a container lid when said container lid is received along said upper container rim. 
     
     
       17. The stackable and nestable container of claim 16 wherein ventilation apertures are formed in the container lid received along said upper container rim. 
     
     
       18. The stackable and nestable container of claim 6 wherein the lowermost surface of each said lower column support comprises an aperture, and wherein said lower column support apertures are adapted to receive projections formed in the container lid of a similarly shaped container when said similarly shaped container and said stackable and nestable container are disposed in a stacked configuration. 
     
     
       19. The stackable and nestable container of claim 18 wherein ventilation apertures are formed in the container lid of the similarly shaped container. 
     
     
       20. The stackable and nestable container of claim 6 wherein said bottom surface includes apertures formed therein.